Summer Days

Summer is in full swing around here!  I figured I would get updates out of the way first, then post pictures.  Hmm... 

Just finished my first Dill Family Vacation.  And it went really well!  I really enjoy being with their family.  It was also a special treat as Grandma and Grandpa Zehr were there too!   We played games, swam, tanned our pelts, made and ate yummy food, saw some killer fireworks and enjoyed each others company! 

Both of our jobs are going well...nothing really new there. 

Sierra is a happy energetic puppy...nothing really new their either. 

Hmm...Overall life is really swell right now.  Driving with the windows down today, I realized that I super love warm weather.  And even though we are nearing the middle of July, I am trying to keep thoughts of winter at bay.  It helps my overall disposition =)

Ok, I'll post pictures.

The following three pictures show how needy Sierra is.  

Sitting patiently by Violet waiting for some loving.

She starts to lean her head over, gaining an absentminded stroke or two

Until she just falls to the floor forcing you to either ignore her or lean over and give her a belly rub.  

We went strawberry picking at my friend Tanya's dad's farm!  

We picked a lot, as you can see by Violet's astonished face.

Guess who else came strawberry picking!! Yes, those are strawberry stains all over his shirt, hands and face. 

this little beauty was there too. 

Mmm fresh strawberries! 

On to Family Vacation!! 

The view from the deck of the cabin we rented

We wentand found this beach one of the days.  The water was perfect temperature and clear and the day was gorgeous! 

We built sandcastles...

We buried Ben...

It was a super fun day! 

The sunsets out there weren't to shabby either.

This is how a lot of our time was spent.  Hanging around the dining room, living room and kitchen. 

Playing games =)

Cute nieces!  Maria and Hanna

My sweet sisters-in-law!

Instead of a "selfie" we decided it was an "Us-ie"

Girls shot!

That nigh, Rose taught us all the art of water coloring.  Turns out, I was using those paint boxes all wrong when I was a child!  She was a great instructor and had all the tools for us to create our own painting! 

Here I am attempting to be super artsy.  It just doesn't come naturally to me.  And from this distance, you can't see where all my watercolors bled outside the lines... 

oh well. 

4th of July Morning paddle boat adventure with Ben!

It was a gorgeous day on the Lake!

Mr. Daniel Boon and his daughter Boonette in their parade garb! 

Here is Claire wearing the dress that Grandma wore on the day of her baptism.  It was actually a super cute dress...and it really only fit Rose the best...Grandma was TINY as a teenager!

Here is our lovely patriotic parade, led by one obnoxious clown.  (It was the only costume left that fit him...Every parade should have a clown, right?)

Young George and Martha Gothic

Either The Boon family or the Ingalls family...there was some disagreement. 

And I, Lady Liberty...

We traipsed from the upper deck down to the dock and back! it was a lot of fun!

We also did a lot of eating together! =)

Speaking of which, on Saturday morning, all the young guys made breakfast for everyone else!  Made-to-order Omelets!   YUM! 

Look at them, so hard at work! 

Seriously though...Ben is a PHENOMENAL omelet maker!  They turned out perfect.  

Here is the view of the cabin from our dock. 

We spent lots of time swimming off the dock, in our private cove off the arm that came off the main channel of the lake.  

Lake of the Ozarks is a HUGE lake that snakes around and then has so many little  branches of smaller coves and such.  

We also rented Jetskiis one day, but I didn't get any pictures of those. 

Grandma and Grandpa took us out to some Super Yummy Missouri BBQ.  They are a boat-in restaurant as well as drive-in.  Which means they have docks where you can pull up your boat and come right on up and eat.  But these fine gentlemen are looking at the carp that are by the docks.  

we fed them some food the restaurant had for them, and they flocked!  

We ended family vacation at Don's wedding in Kansas City

Don's wife owns horses, and the reception was at their house, so I helped Karlina feed them grass...She loved it! 

Here we are with the happy ouple! 

One of the main attractions (other then the couple and the amazing food) was a snapping turtle who had gotten into their pool before the wedding.  One of Anna's son's was in there trying to get him out.  You can see the dark shadow right in front of the diving board...

it drew quite a crowd. 

both sides of the pool. 

Finally, they got him out with a rake and a snow shovel. 

We ended our vacation away with a beautiful drive home

interesting and beautiful cloud forms

and a magnificent sunset. 

It was a really great time...getting to spend that kind of time with all of Ben's family.  I am blessed with in-laws that love me and make me feel welcome and are fun to vacation with! 

Well, that is all for now, folks! 

au revoir!